Spiders
by Tru Mel Meiko Mei Ling
Summary: Mikage runs into a problem only Jack is around to help her with.


Mikage x Jack (with slight minuscule hints of Godwin x Mikage)

_**A/N: For my friend Mika!**_

OoO

"Spiders"

OoO

"You'd like me to go where?" Mikage inquired in a meek voice while addressing her superior. Her saffron-dipped orbs floated over the muscular frame of her boss, Rex Godwin as he turned his back to her and stepped towards the grandiose windows in his office. Arms folded behind him, he repeated his last command to her, " To the top floor. And since Jack is already there gathering a few articles for me, I need you to look after him to make certain he does not forget any of it."

"I understand sir..." she stated. The way she softened the end of her words indicated there was more to what she desired to say. Godwin easily picked up on this and turned his body slowly around to face her. "But?" he prodded; a dash of sadism in his tone. The beautiful woman showed defensiveness for a split second before retaining her controlled composure. Her turquoise drop earrings dangled back and forth a tad from the sudden slight movements of her head as she drew in a breath to speak, "But... Atlas-sama had given me instructions before to never follow him or anyone to that floor... Or to go there alone for any reason..."

Godwin lowered his head slightly; a sharp glare playing about his clear eyes, "Jack may order you, but who am I?"

"... My... my superi-"

"Your superior. You do not question your superior's authority. Anything I say overrules any objection of his."

"Y-yes but..."

"Mikage..." he began in a perilously low tone. Her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes quickly flickered between his and his cautious advances towards her. They were completely alone on this main floor. If he did anything to "persuade" her of how absolute his way was, no one would bear witness to it. If she screamed, perhaps no one would hear. Not even Jack. Her entire body tensed with trepidation as he approached her and stood very close. Her first instinct was to run, but she stood her ground as best as she could. As his shadow consumed her slender frame, she gave him the utmost visual respect.

And Godwin loved that. He loved the fear in her eyes that only he could conjure and manipulate. The things he could create and build upon with that hidden look marked wonders in his mind. However, those private musings would be best left for another time and another story...

"Don't make things more difficult for yourself. Do as I say and find Jack. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Good answer," he gave a faint smile, "Now, go. And do make sure he doesn't break anything up there."

"Yes. I will," Mikage assured. After granting the powerful man with a respectful deep bow, she turned on her heels and exited the room.

OoO

"Atlas-sama?" Mikage's lyrical voice called. Carefully, she graced the top step of the upper level Jack occupied. She hadn't found him yet, but she could sense that he was near her. "Atlas-samaaa?" she tried again, skimming her gaze over part of the room. This particular area hadn't been used by people very often and was used mainly as storage space. It was the highest rooms on the floor. One might think of it as like an attic of sorts. Multitudes of file cabinets and storage boxes stuffed abundantly with documents speckled the room in a patternless fashion. Nothing was lined up uniformly was and set out in a way to be taken as face value and at first glance for what it was.

And since this location was rarely used in detail, many a cobweb had formed and a thick layer of dust glazed every inanimate object. When she wasn't greet with an answer, Mikage straightened out her business attire and meticulously began to wander through the area. She didn't get far when she spotted Jack on his knees hunched over a storage box on the floor. Her heart fluttered in her chest from the sight of him so close, but as quickly as it visited, it changed into concern and puzzlement. Why hadn't he heard her?

"Atlas-sama!"

"Stay where you are!" Jack's warning voice boomed. Hesitantly, the timid woman did as what was commanded of her. Nervously, she brought her hands in front of her and clasped them tightly together. That was one way to channel her uneasiness elsewhere. Unfortunately, she should have been used to Jack addressing her with such rudeness by now. With cold studs of amethyst, the former dueling king turned curtly to the woman over his shoulder. If not for the dusty veil coating the dim room, the sharp glint in his eyes would not have gone unnoticed. "Don't you ever listen?" he started in a scolding tone. He rose to his full height and glared sternly at her, "I told you to never come up here! Why are you here?"

"Godwin-sa..."

"Forget about him! You are to listen only to what I tell you!"

"Atlas-sama..."

"I don't want to see you here again. Tell Godwin I'll give him his stupid documents whenever I do!"

"Yes but... not to be rude but, I'm here now and to keep an eye on you. Whatever you have to carry down, I can help you with..."

"..." Jack's eyes narrowed at her. His features hardened while he made his way towards her. He had instructed her time and time again not to come up here. There were piles of things he had no idea of what they were nor the danger they could impose. There were bugs, webs and enough dust to chose a horse in that room. The last thing he wanted was for anything to happen to her and him being responsible for it. He didn't want to see her hurt under any circumstances. But he was hard-headed himself, so he really wasn't one to talk.

"Get out of here!"

"..." And she almost did. But something in this moment made her stay. Drawing in a breath, Mikage took several brisk steps towards him, "I'm sorry Atlas-sama, but- AH!" she suddenly shrieked.

"What is it? Mikage?" Jack bellowed, dashing over to her in a few long-legged hops, "Talk to me!"

"Ahhhhh!" she cried, covering her face with her hands, "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" she screamed.

"Get what off?" he questioned; his eyes racing over her body for any indication of anything out of place. He didn't see anything trying to attack her—just a headstrong woman getting what she deserved from going someplace he had warned her not to. That was the way he saw the situation anyway. After a few seconds of fighting with her gossamer assailant, Mikage pulled long wisps of the web away from her face.

"I'm all right! I just... walked into a spiderweb! Aha... I'm fine!" she laughed a little, lifting a delicate hand to wipe them away. Jack stared at her do this, fighting the urge to yell at her for telling her so. But he felt a wave a relief rise from his shoulders when he realized she was all right. Then he frowned. She got him afraid for nothing.

Just when he was about to demand her to leave, a large grayish sack speckled with black descended from the ceiling and fell atop Mikage's head. She gave a squeak of surprise from the soft impact and the two of them watched the odd object wedge into her cleavage. Before either of them could blink or breathe a word, the sack burst open and hundreds upon hundreds of spiders in varying age and size spurt forth and crawled all over her.

"!" Mikage screamed. In absolute panic she threw her hands up fruitlessly in front of her as if she had just seen a giant rat scamper past her line of vision. "AHHHHH! ATLAS-SAMA!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs, "THEY'RE ALL OVER ME—GET THEM OFF!"

Utterly dumbfounded, Jack just stared at her, mouth in a gape. He could do nothing but watch a plethora of spiders embark over her exposed skin, scamper over her suit and trickle down her shapely legs.

He had warned her about not wearing nylons too! Maybe now she'd heed his warning!

"HELP ME!" she screeched beginning to jump up and down. Then she started to wiggle and writhe and stamp her feet.

"Mi-! Ugh...!" Jack faltered, glancing to the side of him for anything he could use to help. There was a heavy slab of wood to his left. The thought to pick that up and bash the spiders away seemed like a good idea for a flicker of a second until the realization of hurting Mikage in the process made him change his mind. Hurriedly, he looked to his right. A weighty object that he guessed was once a paperweight crossed his vision and he almost snatched it up until his brain screamed at him that wasn't much of a better idea either. And he couldn't lift a file cabinet by himself. What could he do? In a moment of uselessness, he balled his hands into fists and glared down at them. Wait a minute. The next best option he could make was right in front of him. But... Mikage would not be too happy with his decision. Still, she needed them off and if any progress was going to be made...

"Forgive me!" he declared, deepening his voice in reluctance for the actions he was about to commit. In response, Mikage screamed as more of the spiders ran over her bust. The first thing Jack did was swat the nest away—or at least attempt to- with his fingertips. That only made the situation worse as the nest broke in half and more spiders emerged in the double digits.

"ATLAS-SAMA!"

"HOLD ON! THIS IS GOING TO SUCK!" he yelled. Without any other warning, he sent his palms out over her shoulder, her collarbone, her abdomen, and her breasts in a rapid succession. Mikage shrieked from both surprise and embarrassment as the heaviness of his hands against her body startled her.

"AHH!" she screamed, instinctively lashing out and slapping him across the face. Stumbling backwards a bit, Jack shook his head, "HEY! What was that for? I was trying to help you! Don't get any ideas!"

"I'm sorry! Reflex! GET THEM OFF!" Mikage vociferated.

"Don't slap me again!"

"IpromiseIwon'tnowgetthemoffofme!"

"All right-!" Jack agreed and lifted his hands to her frontal assets again and flexed his fingers. It was a good thing she had her eyes squeezed shut or else she really would have slapped him again. He looked like some kind of eager molester like that. Holding his breath, Jack went to work smacking her body in random places and giving squeezes in order to kill off and smush any of the spiders he missed by swatting alone. The very instant he pressed his hands against her bosom again, and apologizing as he did it, Mikage grasped the lapels of her suit and yanked the fabric off her shoulders. Once it was removed she threw it down and stomped on it to make sure she killed some of the spiders as well. Jack just stood there, grasping her, and it wasn't until her eyes flew dangerously upto his that he finally let go. Her glare wasn't because of his ...grip... but the showcase of her fear and aggravation towards her innocent "attackers" caused her to look quite threatening. It was a rather appealing kind of threating too, in Jack's eyes.

But this "moment" only lasted for a second and a half until she went back to wriggling and hopping around, "Are they gone?" she asked breathlessly, gesturing towards her upper half. From being granted free permission to stare at her clothed breasts, Jack did just that and couldn't find his voice as a result. The most he could manage was a utterance of uncertainty and this worried Mikage. But she didn't have time to ponder it and whirled around. Jack watched her hop from foot to foot until ultimately sticking her rear out. Her hands frantically tried swiping at the spiders there that clung to her skirt and the others that had gone beneath it. With a cry, she squeezed her legs tightly together, to crush those in the vicinity as well as to stop more from crawling up her inner thighs. The thought crossed her mind to remove her undergarment and shake away any 8-legged invaders that may have gone there, but with Jack in her presence she wouldn't dare.

The blonde's eyes went wide and he grit his teeth from the sight that was revealed to him. Too bad the spiders running along the contours of her backside infuriated him and ruined an otherwise tasteful view. "Bastards!" he growled, raising a hand and giving Mikage's bottom a slap. She made a sound that was a mix between a shriek and confused enticement.

"What are you doing, Atlas-sama?"

"What do you think! Hitting a woman here gives me a death wish that I don't want! But the spiders give me an excuse to keep me alive! Sorry!" he added, giving her another bottom-slap. Then another and another. He swore as the spiders seemed to pile in that spot and he went crazy slapping, swatting and squeezing at them to make sure they were decimated.

"AAHHHHH! ATLAS-SAMA! NOT THERE!"

"FORGIVE ME!"

OoO

In the midst of all the crashing and stomping going on above him, Godwin merely gave a bored glance towards the ceiling. He took a long serene sip of his tea and gazed out the window. Then his features became the visage of annoyance and he frowned. Maybe he shouldn't have sent her up there after all... Oh well. He didn't believe Jack was one for stamina, so he expected him to return to his office rather soon.

OoO

"This isn't working!" Mikage shouted. At a loss, she threw her sense out the window and hobbled over to one of the filing cabinets. Shutting her eyes to block out the very embarrassing scene she was about to create, she grasped either sides of it firmly and rammed her body into it repeatedly. Despite it looking like something else Jack wished for a split second that she was doing with him instead, it did manage to kill off a good number of the spiders. But she was using so much force the cabinet started to tilt towards her. At the last second, before it toppled her, Jack picked her up and whisked her out of harm's way. But she was wiggling too much in his arms to stay in them and fell to the floor. Immediately, Jack dropped to his knees atop her, straddling her. There were only a few spiders left and they both worked together to be rid of them all around her abdomen.

After they were done, they panted heavily for a good whole minute. Her chest heaved while her heart thumped beneath it. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks were flushed and her face was sprinkled with sweat. Thin strands of her hair stuck to her forehead in the broken shapes of an unknown word. Jack peered down at her firmly. His lids lowered an octave as he beheld her delicate form. He knew she had a fiery spirit but he didn't know how intense she actually could be when met with an immediate situation. He found her rather... inviting at this moment. But he wouldn't dare take advantage of her.

"Mikage...?"

"Mm?" she wondered weakly. Gingerly her lashes lifted and her honey eyes mingled with their contrast in his. They eyed the other soundlessly for a while, taking in the other's company as well as what had just transpired. Suddenly, her eyes went wide and Jack squeezed his eyes shut and hung his head, "I'm sorry!" he cut in. Before she could utter anything, he abruptly stood up and stormed over to another part of the room.

Hesitantly, Mikage snaked an arm over her bust as she sat up. She bit her lip as her mind formed every word she wanted to state, but was too afraid to bring into existence. All she could muter was, "Atlas-sama..."

"I want you to get out," he directed coldly, his back to her, "Get out now and don't tell Godwin about any of what happened. He'd never believe it."

"...A... Um I..."

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Mikage..." He wanted her to have space and time to herself to forget all of what happened. He wanted her to have time without being around or seeing him so she could recover from what had transpired. Not even all the apologies in the world could remove the lines he had crossed this day. If he ever wanted to see her cheerfully greet him and smile at him again, he needed to do this for her. And the only way to get her to understand was to damage her feelings. He was manipulating her, but he didn't want to bear the weight of the thought of remaining unforgiven for things he didn't want to impose upon in the first place. Part of his reasoning for being so cold to her was because he couldn't face what she represented to him. She saw him as something great, someone profound, but he saw himself as a failure. He didn't share her view because she resembled everything he wanted, once was and was no longer. He wanted to be rid of her, but she always came back. She was as stubborn as he was. And the only way to get through to her was this. After all, a woman in love would do anything for the one she loved.

"I don't want to see you again for the rest of the day. Don't check up on me, don't bother showing up at my race today. I don't want to see you."

"..."

Jack tensed. If heartache had a sound, it would be blaring in his head like an overlapping siren. Of course, it also took one to know one, but he would not dare show it. He couldn't show anyone anything until he proved to himself that he could be the best. And until then, he was nothing and nothing, not even that belief that always twinkled in her eyes for him, would persuade him of otherwise.

Luckily for him, he didn't have to say anything else. Sounds of movement and rustling clothing shot into the room as Mikage slowly stood. She walked over to collect her suit-coat and readjusted it. After a while of silence she finally had something to say, "T-thank you... Atlas-sama for your help..."

"..." It wasn't difficult to take note of the sadness in her voice. Her uneven tone was a dead giveaway. But she continued on, "If you need anything... I'll be in his office... G...goodbye." And with that, the quick clicks of her heels sliced through the air and dampened in intensity until they were no longer heard.

Once she was gone, Jack exhaled dejectedly, then hit himself in the head. He was so stupid...

OoO

The clacking of heels throughout the corridor snagged Godwin's attention instantly and he turned to look in Mikage's direction. He only caught a glimpse of her before she disappeared into her private wing of the building. She had appeared to be crying a little and her outfit looked as if it had gotten run over multiple times by a stream of rush hour traffic. There were also small black stains tattooed along her legs and upper body, but he couldn't gather any more information from only a second long analysis. A line of thoughts simmered in his mind, but he dismissed them and took a sip of his tea.

About 2 minutes later, a disgruntled Jack stormed into the room. Godwin eyed him significantly as the young man made a bee-line for Godwin's desk and slapped the files he went to get down on top of it.

"Ahh so you finally returned, Jack," Godwin announced, receiving grumbles in return.

"Whatever," Jack protested, going over to his personal coffeemaker and pouring himself a cup. As he acquired the usual ingredients for a favored cup, Godwin took this moment to poke instigation into Jack's stormy behavior.

"So... Mikage attended to you after all..."

"I'm not talking about this."

"Ah. I see. Another one of your moods."

"Bugger off..." Jack retaliated, taking a swig of his beverage. Godwin eyed the male impishly; a devilish smile curving his mouth. Casually he drank some of his tea and asked, "So, Mikage wasn't much of a virgin after all was she?"

Needless to say, Jack's coffee added a new pattern of decoration to the polished floor from that comment.

"And you are going to clean that up," Godwin included placidly.

OoO

END

...so silly … lol

-Mel


End file.
